In general, an information processing apparatus which includes a server apparatus and a storage apparatus is improved in maintenance and availability (verbosity) by dividing various internal functions into a plurality of units.
When Ethernet (registered trademark) is introduced between the plurality of units for the cooperation between the plurality of units which are divided as described above, the information processing apparatus can use various application software which utilizes Ethernet. Therefore, it is possible to improve productivity of the information processing apparatus.
However, in a case where Ethernet is introduced as an internal network, it is advisable that the address system of Ethernet is established without contradiction (conflict) to the address system of an external network which is linked to the information processing apparatus. For this reason, a process of changing the address system of the internal network in cooperation with the address setting and address change of the external network is implemented. In this way, during a period while the process of changing the address system of the internal network, it is difficult to keeping the cooperation between the units.
Herein, an example of a conflict between the address system of the internal network and the address system of the external network will be described with reference to FIG. 13.
In the example illustrated in FIG. 13, a terminal 400 is communicably connected to an information processing apparatus 100 through an external network 200 and a gateway 300. Further, the information processing apparatus 100, for example, includes five units 101 to 105. These units 101 to 105 are communicably connected through an internal network 106.
Herein, the external network 200 is Ethernet which is managed by a user who uses the information processing apparatus 100. The information processing apparatus 100 is an interface which provides an Ethernet service.
Further, the internal network 106 of the information processing apparatus 100 is Ethernet which connects the units 101 to 105 in the information processing apparatus 100. The units 101 to 105 cooperate to each other through the internal network 106.
The respective units 101 to 105 are components included in the information processing apparatus 100, and divided according to certain functions in order to improve maintenance and availability (verbosity) of the information processing apparatus 100. In each of the units 101 to 105, a general-purpose OS is loaded to use Ethernet applications. Then, the unit 101 includes an external network interface 110 which is connected to the external network 200 and conducts communication with the external terminal 400. Further, the unit 101 includes an internal network interface 111 which is connected to the internal network 106 and conducts communication with the other units 102 to 105. Similarly, the units 102 to 105 include internal network interfaces 121 to 151, respectively, which are connected to the internal network 106 and conduct communication with the unit 101. In addition, the units 101 to 105 may be denoted by Units #1 to #5, respectively.
At this time, the Internet Protocol (IP) address 192.168.1.1 for the external network 200 is assigned to the information processing apparatus 100 (the external network interface 110). Further, the IP address 172.16.0.10 is assigned to the terminal 400. Then, the IP addresses 172.16.0.1 to 172.16.0.5 for the internal network 106 are assigned to the units 101 to 105 (the internal network interfaces 111 to 151) in the information processing apparatus 100, respectively.
In a case where the IP addresses are assigned as described above, the unit 101 loses its ability to conduct communication with the external terminal 400. This is because the IP address of the terminal 400 is 172.16.0.10 and belongs to the address system of the internal network 106 of the information processing apparatus 100. In this case, even when the unit 101 tries to conduct communication with the terminal 400, a packet addressed to the terminal 400 flows into the internal network 106.
Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 13, in a case where the address used in the outside of the information processing apparatus 100 comes into conflict with the address system used in the information processing apparatus 100, the process of changing the address system of the internal network, as described above, is performed in cooperation with the address of the external network.
As described above, when the process of changing the address system of the internal network in cooperation with the address of the external network is occurred, there is a problem in that it is difficult to keep the cooperation between the units during a period when the process is performed.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-49676
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-151744